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A state Department of Transportation employee is being charged with stealing a handicap parking placard from the building and using it to park her personal vehicle in one of the spaces at work, according to a state police news release.

Ryan Robinson, 24, of Harrisburg is being charged with theft, the release states. She was not authorized to use it.

Handicap Parking Sign(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The investigation showed that seven other PennDOT employees were using handicap placards, which were issued to family and friends, to park in employee handicap parking spaces, the release states. The employees do not have a disability.

State police conducted the investigation at the request of PennDOT's risk management office.

PennDOT has issued the following statement:

"PennDOT discovered the improper use of persons with disability parking placards by PennDOT employees, and turned the information over to PA State Police for investigation. For those who legitimately need them, these placards are critical tools in their mobility, and PennDOT takes the oversight of their issuance very seriously."